• Anthony Gimino, Arizona Republic:Arizona RB Daniel Jenkins is developing his role: The sophomore from Moreno Valley, Calif., is averaging a team-high 5.4 yards per rush since returning from a high-ankle sprain in Week 3. The UA's "bone" formation -- a full-house set run out of the shotgun formation -- allows as many as three running backs on the field at the same time. Jenkins is usually one of them.

• Dan Bickley, Arizona Republic:Under fire once again, Arizona State football coach Dennis Erickson must find a way to finish the job: Those screaming about Erickson's job should stop hyperventilating. There is no doubt he is working hard, and slowly building the talent base at ASU, which quit producing NFL players shortly after Bruce Snyder was fired. Next year's recruiting class is said to be the best yet. If you believe Erickson's recruiting talents are working, then a game-day gaffe should not cost him his job or his extension. Problem is, the stumble at UCLA falls into a painful, recurring pattern.

• Joe Stiglich, San Jose Mercury News:Oregon State has owned Bears seniors: Oregon State coach Mike Riley, 6-2 against Cal since beginning his second stint as the Beavers' coach in 2003, doesn't necessarily think his team's success carries over to the next season.
"I don't think you can put too much stock in the past," Riley said. "It's whoever plays best that day."

• Kyle Ringo, Daily Camera:Tyler Hansen wishes he had more time with CU Buffs: The Buffs' senior quarterback, whose redshirt was burned in 2008 and again in 2009 by the previous coaching staff, only has three games promised to him. CU hosts Arizona on Saturday in the home finale before finishing the season with road games at UCLA and Utah. Hansen, despite the team's 1-9 record this season, remains upbeat about his CU experience.

• Rob Moseley, Register Guard:Stars Andrew Luck and LaMichael James meet again on the Farm: The two got to know each other a year ago while on the postseason awards circuit, playing a collective second fiddle to Auburn quarterback Cam Newton. “He’s a great guy,” James said of Luck. “He’s really humble, he’s down to earth — everything that everybody says about him.”

• Cliff Kirkpatrick, Corvallis Gazette-Times:Beavers remain determined to run the ball: If Agnew doesn’t get to 1,000 yards, it will be the first time since 2004 the Beavers didn’t have a 1,000-yard rusher. That was the transition year between Steven Jackson and Yvenson Bernard. OSU had a winning season that year on the arm of senior Derek Anderson.

• Tom FitzGerald, San Francisco Chronicle:Stanford QB Andrew Luck's biggest game: Besides being for first place in the Pac-12 North, the game at Stanford Stadium will offer an intriguing display of contrasting offensive styles. Stanford's pro-style offense likes to play the possession game and pound the ball on the ground with Luck mixing in play-action passes. Speedy Oregon (8-1, 6-0 Pac-12) doesn't care an iota about extending its time of possession; it will run or pass to the end zone as quickly as the Ducks' churning feet can get there. Huddles? Not for the Quackers.

• Bill Plaschke, LA Times:Bruins control Rick Neuheisel's destiny: For a coach who was declared dead in this newspaper and on national television less than three weeks ago, where does he go from here? Have the victories over Cal and Arizona State saved his job or just made it a bit more uncomfortable for everyone when he gets fired? Does Dan Guerrero examine the resurgence in the Bruins' effort, or the emptiness in the Rose Bowl seats?

• Gary Klein, LA Times:Matt Barkley takes praise with a grain of sugar: Barkley enters Saturday's game against Washington coming off a record-setting six-touchdown performance against Colorado. The junior has passed for 28 touchdowns, with five interceptions, putting him on track to finish with the best passing season by a quarterback in USC history. Matt Leinart passed for 38 touchdowns, with nine interceptions, in 2003.

• Dirk Facer, Deseret News:Utes focused on UCLA, becoming bowl eligible: The Utes (5-4) are one win away from bowl eligibility. A victory over UCLA, or remaining opponents Washington State or Colorado for that matter, will almost certainly result in a ninth consecutive bowl bid for the program.

• Bob Condotta, Seattle Times:USC not lacking for motivation against Huskies: The Trojans have won four of their last five, three on the road, the only defeat coming in triple overtime against No. 3 Stanford. Their only other defeat came Sept. 24 at Arizona State, a loss due in large part to four turnovers.

• Vince Grippi, The Spokesman-Review:Wulff says his fate is in AD Moos' hands: Moos has said he will make a decision on Wulff's future after the season. Wulff is in his fourth year of a five-year contract he signed in 2008 when he replaced Bill Doba as Cougars coach. Wulff's WSU teams have posted an 8-38 record. Asked what he would tell Cougars fans to convince them the program is improving, Wulff cited his first year, when WSU went 2-11 and were outscored 570-165.